Getting started!

so,how do you guys get started on a project??? Do you do random doodles,then let that dev into something??? Or do you work another way.....I'm used to drawing/painting from direct reference.....so I'm in need or some illustration 101 hints and tips to get me going,any suggestions no matter how random gratefully received....

@bluesky71 Typically I'll start with an idea that I'll sketch out as what I call a "rough & ugly," lol. It's just a really basic line sketch that gives me an overall idea of what I want to happen in the scene. From there, I'll start doing thumbnail sketches (I only started doing that after joining SVS - now I have no idea how I ever did a piece without them). The thumbnail sketches help me to decide on the composition & character placement. From there, I'll have my hubs take pictures of me in the poses my characters will be in or I'll use my computer's camera to take pics of myself in poses. I then look on the web for photo reference of any additional elements I need, like light posts, buildings, trees, etc. I've also just started doing color studies since joining SVS. They also help immensely. Since starting the thumbnail sketches and the color studies, my actual painting time is cut in half and I feel SO much more confident, because I'm not trying to figure out the composition or the color scheme as I'm creating the painting - I can just enjoy creating. I hope that helps!

I have two different types of processes - planned and unplanned. I used to feel guilty when I was not planning (I studied visual development, so thumbnails are an ingrained habit and a mandatory expectation), but now I came to embrace the fact that sometimes ideas just pop in my head fully formed and I can go with the flow. I like the illustration world because it is not expected that you come up with 20 variations of everything as a standard...
But one thing is certain - I would rarely start on a finished illustration without 90% of the decisions made. How the characters look like, the composition, color palette, etc... All should be more or less settled beforehand in studies and sketches - even if it is only one sketch and one color study. I positively hate to scramble for color choices or lighting decisions or adjust composition while I am painting....
So sometimes I will have one idea, settle it down in sketches and work from it. Sometimes I will do many different thumbnails for composition, characters or colors and put a concept together that way. I like both approaches and I got good (and bad!) pieces from both.

Just having a look at your work guys,so just looked @ amber.. Lovely well considered work,charming,alot of love and care goes into your work....a real mix of tec ability and imagination and sensitivity.Value your input......

@simona.....just had a look at your website...professional 101! Thanks for your input,feel privileged hun.So much talent on Svs feel like I've hit the jackpot....I know with feedback from here my work must improve.xxxxxx

I'll start with a story idea, usually a silly situation, and collect a lot of references online. A couple years ago I found myself not knowing what to draw so I stopped all together. I realized it was because I wanted to draw stories, not items, so I can't draw like one bird and be happy with that. So anyway, all those references get saved in my project folder on my computer. Then I do messy sketches. Teeny little thumbnails are tough for me because drawing that small feels cramped. I gotta throw my hands around for looseness. Once I pick a sketch that works I drag it over to a new canvas, enlarge it to fit, and then do a more refined drawing over it. I keep my characters and major items in their own groups in photoshop to stay organized. All my layers are named because there are so many. That's basically it.